The invention also relates to a protection device for protecting such a winding and making use of such a detection device.
Given the extremely rapid nature of the switch-over from the superconducting state to the normal state when a fault appears, it is necessary to provide detection which is just as rapid in order to switch-off or limit the electrical current in order to avoid destroying the windings.
One means for detecting such transitions consists in observing the phase difference between current and voltage, which phase difference changes considerably when the winding conductors return to the normal state. However, such detection is relatively unreliable since the phase difference depends on the load on the generator.
The object of the present invention is to provide a detection device for detecting transitions in superconducting winding conductors which reacts immediately and reliably while still remaining simple, and which enables said windings to be effectively protected against destruction or damage.